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WD My passport SE 1TB cannot access in Windows Explorer

Tags:
  • Windows Explorer
  • Western Digital
  • Computers
  • Storage
  • Hard Drives
Last response: in Storage
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July 28, 2013 9:19:43 PM

I bought this 1TB WD My Passport USB hard drive not so long ago. After only a month of use on my laptop(Dell Vostro 1500 with Win7 Home 64-bit), it suddenly stopped showing up in My Computer.


When it used to work, sometimes when I plugged it into one of the four USB ports, it would beep for a very long time(not always), when it stopped beeping, it would show up in My Computer and become available for use.

But now, when the beep stops, it will not show up in My Computer at all, so I have no way to access it.
It is still there in Device Manager as
"WD My Passport 0740 USB Device" under Disk Drives



and it also show up under Disk Management...but as
Disk 1
Unknown
Not Initialized
with no report on the disk size
I am unable to initialize it. It would give me "The request could not be performed because of an I/O device error".
This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 993x705.


It also show up normally under Devices and Printers



At the right bottom corner of my desktop, I am able to eject the hard drive normally



But no matter how many times, and which of the 4 USB ports I plug it in, it will just beep for a minute or so then it will still not showing up for use under My Computer.


I wasn't sure if it is simply a software problem(settings conflict, or a virus), or if the hard drive is a bad one that is dying. Because I am out of the country for the moment, I am away from my other computers.


This is the sound it makes:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/sxfvkb

I was able to find 3 different computers from other people to try it on. It worked on 2 out of the 3 first. One was a laptop, one was a desktop. Not only it showed up under My Computer quickly without even a single beep, but also I was able to access files on it like normal, even played a video from it.

Then the same day I went home and tried it on my laptop again after I removed my cellphone from "Devices and Printers". (my cellphone wasn't connected at the time anyway, but it was still showing up there). The hard drive actually did not beep this time after I plugged it in, and it showed up as "initialized" under Disk Manager with its size showing.
After I assigned a different letter to it, it showed up immediately in My Computer, and I was able to access everything on it.(the reason I assigned a different letter for it was because once I plugged in a flash drive without the WD hard drive plugged in, so the flash drive took the drive letter of the hard drive. Now I assigned the letter Z to the hard drive)

I was downloading a torrent to it.
Then the very next day, it stopped showing up again with the torrent no where near finishing...just started.

Now everything had returned to how it was as shown in the above pictures. Long beeping, show up everywhere except in My Computer.

There was also suggestion of not enough power from the USB ports. But I don't see it as a reason because it actually worked for a month.
I just tested it on another person's laptop, it showed the same symptom as on mine... long beeping with no showing in My Computer.

I don't get it, but I still don't think it is any hardware problem.

Someone please help me to make it to work again?

More about : passport 1tb access windows explorer

Best solution

a c 298 G Storage
July 29, 2013 10:53:46 AM

I heard the sound you posted. Its a clicking sound a mechanical error sound as well. I think the HDD is gone.

Try a data recovery software : http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec

If its under warranty RMA it.

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July 29, 2013 5:38:50 PM

It is under warranty but I have sensitive data on the drive, how can I erase it before I RMA it?
What does WD do with RMA drives anyway?
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August 3, 2013 1:27:40 AM

dban doesn't work, erase tools can't write to the sectors.
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a c 298 G Storage
August 3, 2013 10:20:10 AM

Try to format it with windows 7 DVD/USB as a normal format. If it works then try DBAN. If it doesn't work, search net, you will find many data destruction software. Try those. Or the last resort will be physically destroy the HDD.
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August 7, 2013 2:43:59 AM

How can I physically destroy the platters? Should I just scratch them a little?
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a b G Storage
August 7, 2013 2:53:43 AM

Only if you want WD to get out of the Warranty terms by saying you damaged it yourself. Run a LiveCD of a Linux system and format it in RAW - that should stop them reading it. Linux will almost certainly also offer you the freedom of the drive to get your data off before sending it away.
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a c 298 G Storage
August 7, 2013 10:39:06 AM

If you want to destroy it physically than why scratch a little, scratch it hard, or break the platters, or anything you want. You can also keep the HDD and don't return it.
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August 9, 2013 8:07:23 PM

Will the Linux Live CD RAW format work even if the hard drive has a mechanical problem?
Since I don't think it's the PCB that's faulty and it's making some clicking sound
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a b G Storage
August 9, 2013 11:22:59 PM

After the formatting process, the Linux file manager will let you see if there's anything remaining. If the drive has a hardware issue, do as advised and trash the platters. I have a pile of them on my desk, use one as a coffee coaster and there are twenty four on my shed to scare the magpies.
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a c 326 G Storage
August 9, 2013 11:43:17 PM

Try a USB Y-cable. USB 2.0 ports are current limited to 500mA. Your 2.5" drive typically requires 850mA during spinup. Some USB ports are OK with this while others are not.

Another possibility may be that the heads are landing on the platters, resulting in stiction.
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a b G Storage
August 10, 2013 12:08:33 AM

Anything is worth a shot but I find if a disk needs a Y cable, it wouldn't spin up at all. It's probably also worth taking the disk out of the box and getting a feel for what's going on.
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a c 326 G Storage
August 10, 2013 12:13:15 AM

The OP's problem appears to be intermittent. A Y-cable is an easy thing to try.

As for taking the drive out of the box, Passport drives integrate the USB port on the drive itself, so you can't eliminate the bridge from the equation. However, you can at least feel the drive, as you say.
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a b G Storage
August 10, 2013 7:21:43 AM

Unless there's a new model I've yet to see, when one comes in here "broken" the first thing it does is part company with its outer skin. Inside, it's just a bog-standard 2.5" hard disk as fitted to laptops. I agree anything is worth a try and said so but around these parts, y USB cables are hard to find unless you're buying a caddy.
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a c 326 G Storage
August 10, 2013 12:37:08 PM

No, it's not a new model, and yes, you have a lot see.

Just search at HDD Guru.
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August 13, 2013 5:45:05 AM

Yes it does not have the SATA interface, just USB-SATA bridge on the PCB.

If I take the drive out of the external case and then open up the drive itself, would dust then damage the drive?
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a c 326 G Storage
August 13, 2013 6:55:43 AM

You should only remove the cover in a cleanroom.

Does the drive have a silver sticker over a hole in the side of the casting?
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